This invention relates generally to the treatment of vehicle bodies and more particularly to a method and apparatus for waxing, buffing, sanding, painting, sandblasting, or otherwise treating a vehicle body.
Automobile cleaning centers and other facilities in which automobiles and other vehicles are cleaned and waxed are plagued by high labor costs. The waxing of vehicle bodies is a highly labor intensive process, even if power driven waxing and buffing equipment are used. Similarly, considerable labor costs are encountered in body shops and elsewhere when vehicle bodies are sanded. Other processes that are carried out in the treatment of vehicle bodies are also costly and labor intensive, including sandblasting, and painting. Similar problems are involved in treating other vehicles such as trucks, buses and boats.
The present invention is directed to an automated vehicle body treatment system that operates to buff, sand or otherwise treat vehicle bodies effectively and efficiently without the labor requirements that are associated with conventional treatment techniques. In accordance with the invention, a gantry type frame having the shape of an inverted U is mounted to move back and forth along linear tracks. An overhead bridge spans the two upright columns of the gantry frame and can move up and down on the columns within preselected limits. The bridge has two overhead carriages that can be driven in opposite directions toward and away from the center of the bridge. Each carriage is equipped with a hydraulic cylinder, and the cylinders in turn carry buffer heads each having four orbital buffing pads. The buffer heads can slide in and out on the cylinders within preselected limits.
Two additional carriages are mounted to move up and down in unison on the upright columns of the frame. Each of the side carriages is provided with a hydraulic cylinder, and each cylinder carries a side buffer head having four orbital buffing pads. The side buffer heads can slide in and out relative to the cylinders within preselected limits.
A control system is provided for controlling extension and retraction of the cylinders, movement of the carriages on the bridge and columns, activation of the buffers, and movement of the frame along the tracks. The control system is specially arranged to achieve efficient buffing of the top and both sides of a vehicle such as an automobile. Special features are incorporated in the control system to allow uneven surfaces to be buffed or otherwise treated with constant pressure. At the same time, measures are taken to avoid possible damage to the vehicle body.